Raheem Sterling (Liverpool > Man City)

I think you're crediting him with far too much intelligence. The guy is simply a prat and prone to gaffs.

Hodgson will, without fail, always make sure he has an excuse ready.

I don't know.  I love Raheem and think he's about *this* close to being genuinely world-class.

But this is all a bit ridiculous.  He gets paid absurd amounts of money to kick a ball around and run around a field, twice a week at most, normally only once, the rest of the time he jogs around at Melwood for 2 hours a day.  And he's "tired."  Ok.

I mean the vast majority of us, including most people his age, are working every day, nine hours a day, year round, for pennies on what he makes. 

If I worked one day a week and then called in and said I was tired.....

And if Raheem had started the game and pulled up with a hamstring injury at some point ruling him out of the Real ties would that not be more ridiculous?

Or is it ridiculous to suggest that would even be a possibility as he only works one day a week on absurd money?

I mean it's pretty obvious to even the most casual viewer Raheem has looked sluggish on the pitch over the last 4/5 weeks, his touch is laboured and he isn't making the bursting runs we are used to seeing. Why? Because he is only 19 and playing football at the highest level week in week out on the back of a World Cup. He hasn't even fully developed physically yet. So early season burn out is a very real possibility for a player of his tender age.

To suggest he has no right to feel tired because of his big salary and "easy" job is what I find ridiculous.

And if Raheem had started the game and pulled up with a hamstring injury at some point ruling him out of the Real ties would that not be more ridiculous?

Or is it ridiculous to suggest that would even be a possibility as he only works one day a week on absurd money?

I mean it's pretty obvious to even the most casual viewer Raheem has looked sluggish on the pitch over the last 4/5 weeks, his touch is laboured and he isn't making the bursting runs we are used to seeing. Why? Because he is only 19 and playing football at the highest level week in week out on the back of a World Cup. He hasn't even fully developed physically yet. So early season burn out is a very real possibility for a player of his tender age.

To suggest he has no right to feel tired because of his big salary and "easy" job is what I find ridiculous.

Too many willing belittle the work needed to be a top athlete by complaining about how hard they work.

"I work 24 hour shifts and keep coming in despite the fact that I'm tired"

Well done, but you're not a professional athlete so shut the F**k up.

If Raheem was still playing at u21's level he'd be lucky to play a competetive game every 2 weeks, which is following the FAs own development plans for young players but because he's good enough to play at senior level he should be capable of playing top level competetive games every 3 to 4 days without it effecting him physically or mentally.

Seems logical.

Carragher & Redknapp on Raheem Sterling

 Perhaps we should be thankful there where no serious injuries, to Raheem, or any other, Liverpool player, under this buffoon of a manager. At least all the players seem to be able to report back to the club injury free, for once. 

Perhaps we should be thankful there where no serious injuries, to Raheem, or any other, Liverpool player, under this buffoon of a manager. At least all the players seem to be able to report back to the club injury free, for once. 

Except for Markovic.

Except for Markovic.

Wasn't Lovren injured too?

Here we go again. England fans would rather tirelessly debate some silly non issue rather than face facts about their garbage team's inability to overcome San Marino and Estonia in convincing fashion.

If the owl face c**t thinks Sterling is tired then WHY THE FOOK DID YOU PICK HIM YE tw*t b***ard!

Is he hinting that his club should be resting him.. unbelievable the clownism involved with the national team in England is second to none

If the owl face c**t thinks Sterling is tired then WHY THE FOOK DID YOU PICK HIM YE tw*t b***ard!

Is he hinting that his club should be resting him.. unbelievable the clownism involved with the national team in England is second to none

Especially playing him against San Marino. If you can't rest a key player against San Marino then it really is an embarrassment in terms of players.

Having watched the interview from Woy, i dont think it was intentional. He was just giving an answer and elaborated the point.

I feel like the media is stitching them both up. Its pretty effed up that the media wants to create this storm and potentially ruin a 19 year old kids international career for the sake of call-ins and selling papers.

The media does not care about english football no matter how much they try to pretend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OFi48A8KzY

Having watched the interview from Woy, i dont think it was intentional. He was just giving an answer and elaborated the point.

I feel like the media is stitching them both up. Its pretty effed up that the media wants to create this storm and potentially ruin a 19 year old kids international career for the sake of call-ins and selling papers.

The media does not care about english football no matter how much they try to pretend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OFi48A8KzY

ACTUALLY i'll take it back. Its obvious (from the interview) Woy was talking about Sterling wanting to sit out the training session NOT THE MATCH LIKE BEING REPORTED

Woy decided to leave him out of the match because of it

But he threw Raheem under the bus totally! Englands best young player! wow totally irresponsible.

If i was Raheem i wouldnt want to play for him after that. Total betrayal

What do you actually do Fed sit behind a desk no doubt!

I work in the oil industry.  yes I spend a good amount of time behind a desk, but about 30% of the time I'm out in the field.  So I see both sides of it.

Anyway this is all a bit odd to me, this Sterling business.

I wonder what Shanks would say if he were around and a 19 year old lad told him he was "tired."  oh boy.  "I'm tired, gaffer!  too much footie for me!"  Can you just imagine the look on his face!

The lads made about a tenner a week when Shanks was in charge.

I work in the oil industry.  yes I spend a good amount of time behind a desk, but about 30% of the time I'm out in the field.  So I see both sides of it.

Anyway this is all a bit odd to me, this Sterling business.

I wonder what Shanks would say if he were around and a 19 year old lad told him he was "tired."  oh boy.  "I'm tired, gaffer!  too much footie for me!"  Can you just imagine the look on his face!

The lads made about a tenner a week when Shanks was in charge.

Well you clearly know nothing about LFC history or the great Bill Shankly. Ian Callaghan one of our great young players in his day was slowly bedded into the team after making his debut at 18 only making three or four appearances in his first two seasons despite being a highly rated winger like Raheem.

So even Shanks knew how important it was to slowly integrate a young talent into the side as he fully matures physically. And this was playing in an ere of fewer games per season and less physical demands.

Well you clearly know nothing about LFC history or the great Bill Shankly. Ian Callaghan one of our great young players in his day was slowly bedded into the team after making his debut at 18 only making three or four appearances in his first two seasons despite being a highly rated winger like Raheem.

erm those are two different things.  You're comparing bedding in a lad because he wasn't quite ready---and he wasn't---with a lad who is pretty much already world-class but who may or may not play not because he's "not ready" but because he's "too tired."

huge difference.

Rodgers doesn't have to worry about bedding him into the team because at this point he might already be the best player in our starting XI. 

So the question is, is he up for it.

Looks like we're finding out.

erm those are two different things.  You're comparing bedding in a lad because he wasn't quite ready---and he wasn't---with a lad who is pretty much already world-class but who may or may not play not because he's "not ready" but because he's "too tired."

huge difference.

Rodgers doesn't have to worry about bedding him into the team because at this point he might already be the best player in our starting XI. 

So the question is, is he up for it.

Looks like we're finding out.

The way I see it some players mature physically quicker than others and are capable for the rigours of playing week in week out without experiencing fatigue. But if you look at Sterling he is very slight albeit quite strong for his size. But it's clear he isn't strong enough yet to become the World Class talent we expect him to become. It's no surprise his recent loss of form coincides with him stating he is tired. Therefore he isn't quite ready to reach his full potential and if he is burnt out too soon by unreasonable demands to play more games than he is ready to play then he may never reach that potential.

-with a lad who is pretty much already world-class

Young Raheem has the potential to go on and be world class to say he is already is nonsense, when i hear the term world class thrown in after just over a season it baffles me ,there are a handfull of players at best who are world class ,the rest are good footballers and nothing more.

Good on him i say there are too many ex footballers out there with fcked up bodies because they played on for the cause and didnt take care of themselves ,yea its only a short career but its a hell of a long life to live after . .     

Poor lad is coming under a lot of pressure, both internally & externally. We need him back at Liverpool asap and Rodgers to 'mother' him!

We really need Sturridge back to take some of this pressure off of him. Sturridge has the head to take it, I don't think Sterling does at the moment.

The only mistake Raheem made when he said he thought he "ought to sit this one out" was that he failed to add "as we're playing a pub team" on the end. Oh and the "by the way, you're a c*nt" on the end of that.

Putting the Hodgson thing aside, do think that Raheem needs a little break. Not sure playing him at the weekend would be the best of ideas.

Tell him to go on holiday for a few days and get him back fresh to go all guns blazing against Madrid.

Raheem didn't even bring it up according to The Telegraph:

It is understood that Sterling did not approach Hodgson to complain of being too tired to play but that the England manager decided that was the case after asking the forward a series of questions

First off Federer must be bored again so is seeking his usual debate/argument.

Second off, I said after the game against Basle that Raheem was out of form and was suffering from playing too much football and needed a rest. The  rest should have come the week earlier in the Carling Cup, so Woy does kinda have a point!

Glad Sterling stood up to make his point. He has been in average form for a little run of games  now and all he has required is a good week off to get back to his best.